First Meeting
The Batcomputer is hooked up to every other part of the cave's labs, as well as various information systems, security systems, and research facilities throughout the world, albeit layered behind massively complex firewalls - and the computer can be separated from those external systems if needed on a moment's notice. The Batcomputer is used as an unparalleled information database and research tool, able to synthesize new chemical compounds, research news articles, creating virtual personalities, analyzing brainwaves, and hacking into other systems. It's also tied into all the cameras throughout not only the estate, but many security systems throughout the city. There are a few computers in the world better, but they can be likely counted on one hand - a 'supercomputer' by any definition. As a result, it is not only large, but massive. Black and sleek, the screen is large with a dramatic back display of a large bat. The keyboard stretches out in front, holding not only the keyboard directly in front of the screen, but controls to the left and right of it curving from the monitor for associated equipment. With that much processing power, along with security features it is not a light device. Contrary, it is heavy and massive, with large fans and a subdued hum when it is overtaxed which honestly takes a lot. You know something isn't so great when Bruce gets an alert that the Bat Cave has been broken into. Oh, whoever broken in got the most obvious alarms and even some of the hidden ones, but they missed some. Then again, Batman is just THAT good. Or were they missed on purpose? As of right now, Red Hood is in the Bat Cave on the middle level, working on the Bat Computer. He's hacking it, not an easy task and it involves lots of growling thanks to programming by Bruce, Tim, and Babs. He is getting through some walls, but others are giving him a headache. "Damn...who got this good?" Considering Jason when he was tested was shockingly genius level, that's impressive coming from him. Seeing that the warnings of a break in the cave Batman was suited up and taking an alternate route inside. In the shadows he watched whoever was working on the computer. He pressed a button killing the power to the cave. Suddenly the computer screen died. All of the lights followed suit. Backup lights kicked on a moment later. Batman stood in the darkness, he wanted to see the intruder first. And Red Hood doesn't actually turn about he just sighs dramatically, "I expected you three minutes earlier to do that. What were you? Tending to baby bat?" He then finally spins in his chair and spreads his arms wide, his red metal helmet still in place. "I'm back. Did you miss me? Of course you did." Yep, he's purposely trying to be annoying by answering his own questions. "Five seconds. Talk," Batman said in a voice that seemed like the usual fanfare for greeting unwanted guests in Gotham. Jason and Bruce had a complicated story. Part of Bruce felt guilty that a Robin had turned into the Redhood. Yet it wasn't the choices of anyone but Jason that turned him into a monster. For that he only had himself to blame. Bruce's eyes just narrowed at Jason as he waited for an explanation. There had to be a reason for such extremes. "Different from your 'Come Home' statements before. I see how long that lasted." Hood then moves from his chair. "I'll be away then. But my suggestion? Keep the demon brat distracted, otherwise you might lose him. A dark cat has been sniffing around here lately. Doubt the feline will just stand around when you stole her little heir." Hood then starts to walk toward the water fall. Kid knew how to be dramatic, and the anger is still inside him, that rage...though it isn't as bad as it was. Not during the fight when you refused to hit him really, not during the explosion when you risked your life to safe his....no, some of the rage broke, or he learned how to bury it deeper. "Come home. Not hack my system," Bruce corrected Jason. He looked to Jason. As angry as he was, the young man was not without methods. There had to be a reason for the extremes, "Why were you on the computer?" His eyes scanned Jason's body language. Something had to up that he didn't know about it. The notes about Damion were taken to heart. Yes, Bruce's son had a lot of anger. A lot of that came from the training. Regardless, that was for another time and place. "I was just wanting some more recent information on a few things. I could have turned off all the alarms, but I knew that just be the hard way. But just knocking on the front door wouldn't be very fun, would it?" Hood shrugs his shoulders at that. "That's it." Well, and to see Bruce, but no way was Jason going to admit that mushy stuff! It doesn't matter if it's been months since they have seen each other. "So, going to turn the lights back on? I just realized, I did memorize where the crosswalk was to the car platform and rather not fall to my death. "On what?" Bruce walked to computer and started up the backup source. It would take a good five minutes for a reboot, but they both knew that. Standing nearby the machine his eyes went over the symbol on the chest. "The Bat looks good on you. Mask could use some ears," it was the closest thing Jason was going to get to a 'Welcome Back' or 'You were missed.' Dressed in the black and grey costume, Bruce just kept his eyes on Jason. Hood looks down, then back up, "Guess it looks better when I'm not punching you or trying to blow you up." Did he sound regretful in the end about that last part? Hood got his mushy part when Bruce was healing in bed, he would freak if he got more mushy stuff. He was never the type of guy for it. Though he does wander closer to Bruce and have a few moments, reaches up to unclip his mask. "I swear, it won't blow up this time." And he sets it aside. He wears a red domino mask like last time, and his bangs that white streak he didn't have when he was younger. "How about we start with Roulette? I know she was causing some problems in the past and got away, had some big shot bodyguards and was using drugs from what the streets say." It actually wasn't drugs, but Hood doesn't know that. "Let's start with her." "What about her?" Bruce asked pointedly. If she was shooting people and dealing in drugs then she had to be put away, that simple. If Jason was talking about her that meant things were far from simple, but the evidence had yet to be presented for that case. His blue eyes looked over the mask. For a second Bruce was taken back to the past. Jason was wearing the old uniform. Something the youngster did back as Robin was taught openants midair. Often a few would try snaring him with cable or rope. Jason had trained himself to feel when the rope was about to go taught then slip out of it. That fire and desire to stick it to well...anyone, was still alive. Some would say that red bat was an unsaid middle finger to Batman as much as it was an homage. Hood just says, "I heard some heroes took her down last time and she escaped, that's all," holding some things up his sleeve. "If it wasn't your case, perhaps Birds of Prey? Still should have some file on it since Babs looks after the Birds of Prey, right?" Like Batman wouldn't totally try to have a copy of her case files. "Anyway, and I thought to get the latest information on my ex-lover too, since she has tried to kill me a couple of times," not directly linking her to Roulette exactly, but he's dropping clues without really asking for direct help. "If I never seen another ninja again, it be too soon." And that is something he slipped to Damian indirectly, but not to Bruce before, not that a detective can't pick it up that he's talking about Talia al Ghul, especially with the hint earlier about Damian and a feline sniffing around for what Batman stole from her (meaning when he stole/recused Damian from her). Walking down from the computer Bruce felt compelled to look at a set of costumes. Inside the cases were costumes. Jason would have recognized one. "Are you worried she's going to come after you?" the question was serious but asked with a level tone. Deep down Bruce wanted to know if Jason was looking because of old feelings or some level of concern. If it was the former then good for Jason. He was learning to become human again. If it was the latter then people should have been afraid. "What does Talia have to do with Roulette?" the question was asked in an attempt to get all of the pieces of the puzzle together. His eyes wandered from Jason's costume to Carrie Kelly's, his first uniform, and a costume his dad wore at a party. Clearly some Waynes were just meant to be Bats, as the costume dad wore was grey with bits of deep blue. Apparently it was based off of a demon from the late eighteen hundreds, but it looked like an early nineteen hundreds Batman-precursor costume. Wait...where did the sign go of 'A Good Soldier'? Damn it! Jason removed it, he hates that sign...he obviously wood. Jason does wander after Bruce, and quickly looks away, looking anywhere but at where the missing sign is. "I never said she did. She was just trying to kill me. Well, not really kill me, more like annoy me to death. You know how she can be with the whole obsessive, I'm a crazy female, but my true love is Bruce kinda way?" A pause, and then, "So...seeing anyone lately? Sorry, haven't been stalking you lately, so I'm not up-to-date." "I meant Roulette," Bruce said waiting for that answer. He continued to look toward the cases. "Nothing new has happend and I'm not dating. No time," it was all said in a matter of fact way. A woman would have to wait because Gotham would always need the silence guardian. "Oh...just...curious." An obvious lie. "Anyway, ya...meeting women that don't run away screaming at you beating up people for a living is a little difficult." Jason shrugs at that and then sighs dramatically, "I'd ask for advice, but I think I'll have better luck asking Dick." He smirks a bit, teasing Bruce. Jason didn't used to be into girls as well, he was more into being a hero and kicking bad guy butt! He was a teenager with bigger things and hero worship in his eyes. But that was a long time ago. "You know, I'm about to ask something that's likely to piss me off, but....not your fault this time. Any recent sightings of Joker? And no, I'm steering clear of him." No body was found at the site of the explosion that Jason set up to try and kill himself and Bruce and Joker...one (un)happy messed up family. But no Joker body, Jason isn't believing he is dead. "Stop lying," Bruce said firmly. He could tell when Robins were lying no matter how hard they tried. A feint smile formed on his face at the Dick joke. At least Dick had a good and balanced life. Hopefully the other Robins were as fortunate as him. When Joker came up he looked to Jason, "I don't believe that but he's been quiet. Too quiet." A nod at that. "Hopefully injured as hell, maybe we will get lucky and he will die from them." Jason doesn't believe they would get that lucky, but he wishes! "Anyway, lying is a bad habit of mine. That girl, the one that was Batgirl for a while, Cassandra Cain. She doesn't really talk much, does she? She going by a new codename now?" A chance of topic...then again, he does like to keep people on their toes. "No she doesn't. Black Bat," the segway was poorly executed. Bruce noted that but let Jason have that one. His eyes went to Jason, "Why are you curious about her?" Bruce wasn't sure where Json stood in terms of the bat-family there was a lot of complicated contradictions there. So, he wasn't sure what to believe on that one. "She's cute." Well, she is! And he does tattle that she used a gun. Instead he says, "What's the best way to communicate with her? She hates a lot of words, and you know I'm as bad as Dick if not worse, I never shut up unless I'm bat brooding." Wait, he's not trying to ask her out on a date?! That go badly... "She tries to talk. Sheltered upbringing makes it hard to communicate. Questions that require short answers are necessary. Read her body language. Sometimes what's a subtle eye-movement to us is a world of emotion for her," Bruce realized he was inadvertantly giving dating advice to one of the adopted sons. If Alfred were here he'd never let either of them live it down. Small victories that he wasn't. Giving Jason a serious look Bruce warned him, "Be careful with her. She will defend you until the end if you gain her trust. Even if that end is dark and brutal. Remember that." "My goal isn't to kill her. She's interesting and has a lot of raw talent. I can see why you recruited her obviously. Beautiful too, but I'll be careful not to piss her off. She's likely more deadly than the demon brat." Jason still associates Damian as an al Ghul and not a Wayne. No, he isn't really going to ask her on a date, geez! Still, if he thought she wouldn't jab him in a throat and leave him for dead, he would totally hit on her. "Mmmmmhmm." Again Bruce did not believe Jason. At least the conversation was nice. Even if it was the two of them sort of eyeing one another trying to see who was alpha in some ways. "Stop calling him that," finally Damion was defended. Sure he was the grandson of the demon but that didn't make him any less of a Wayne. "Why? He's a killer Bruce, you can't magically make that go away. Not for me, not for him. Talia raised and trained us both. He called her mother, I called her...well...depends if we were getting along to what I called her and how fast I was at dodging." Jason smirks a bit at that. "It doesn't have to make us monsters though. I know that, but do you?" Jason is testing something, but what may not be clear. "Anyway, how is Alfred doing?" Moments lingered between them. Eventually Bruce spoke, "Because I will never loose faith in either of you." The monster part went unanswered. They were going to have some words about that. A debate was probably going to tear the duo apart. It was best just to leave that one alone. "Alfred's good," was the only reply Bruce could muster toward that. By now the ocmputer had booted up. Quietly he made his way up to the terminal and started to punch in sequence, "What do you want to know? And on who?" again the questions came out but he was trying to be specific to meet Jason's inquiry desires. "Ooooh, had to think long and hard on that one, huh old man?" Jason shrugs. "Ya, ya, killing creates long-term consequences you may not see immediately. I know, I know...," something he was told when he 'accidentally pushed' a diplomat's rapist son off a roof top, and he died. Then the diplomat kidnapped him and Batman and it was a mess, and the diplomat died. One complicated mess. Least he hasn't entirely forgotten the old lessons. "Oh, just the Roulette old case, recent activities of Talia al Ghul, and if you will let me, Cassandra Cain's file." Jason wiggles fingertips at Bruce. "Come on....I'm asking, not stalking for once. Pleaaaaaase."